Spa Valley Railway - Latest News

Being 100% honest, I've not even written it yet! Barely had time to think much beyond the end of May. For a small railway that often doesn't feature in the limelight it has a massive amount of stuff going on behind the scenes that take priority.

In essence the Brentor timetable will likely be 5x trips a day but with evening dining on the Saturday. If 34095 as it will be is to haul the train both ways it'll need a bit of extra time at either end because it doesn't yet fit in TWW head shunt. We'd looked at extending it this Winter but then with the lockdown coming in this wasn't to be.

 

Thanks for that. I will just have to wait and see. It’s some time yet anyway

 

If anyone is interested in travelling all day at the Spa Valley Railway this weekend with 'Sir Keith Park' (TWW end, Class 31 the other), please email me directly on Jonnie.pay@spavalleyrailway.co.uk and I will sort out a booking for you. Travel would be £10 per adult or £5 per child, this is valid all day.

 

Nice day filming SKP and Dora! Good to see the railway running again.

 

Taken from the 7F Loco Dept. page - Douglas has arrived at TWW and will undergo checks and testing over the coming days.

 

For anyone interested in a ride behind SKP (last chance until the end of June) the loco is running this weekend.

Adults £10 each, Children £5 each, tickets are valid all day with allocated seating for one return trip. We’ve then and extra coach for those wishing to move around/travel all day or break their journey.

‘Douglas’ is planned to enter service in early June and remains on hire until 2023, appearing courtesy of Andy Booth.

As some might have seen, Spa Valley is operating The Polar Express Train Ride later this year which will bring with it further adventures for our railway.

 

Like Gricerdon above I have also been trying to plan a visit to Spa valley. It looks like the website has been updated and that Eridge is open again from tomorrow. It looks like there is no need to pre-book unless you want a guaranteed seat. Thanks SVR.

 

I hope they enjoy her, I personally have some very fond memories of firing her during her year at the GCRN!

 

Douglas has been out and about on service trains today. D8188 at the other end.

 

Brentor at the Spa this weekend!
From the SLL website....
"Meanwhile Sir Keith Park will take on a new identity in June. It will be renamed and numbered as 34095 Brentor over the weekend 26-27th June with plates owned by Mr Phill Brentor for a family occasion."

 

The 'Brentor' weekend was a huge success, the trains and line side were well filled all day, the evening dining train on the Saturday night was our busiest so far of the 2021 season. I had a rather enjoyable turn on Saturday morning training another fireman on the loco and as always, despite its size and what is often perceived, the loco is economical on our railway.

34095 will now turn back to 34053 and next be in traffic at our Summer Steam Up which is taking place on 17th & 18th July, both SKP and Douglas will be hauling trains. We are working to secure a visiting engine but I can't make any promises at the moment!

We launched the Polar Express event last Friday and ticket sales have surpassed all previous expectations, there was a queue time of 8hrs at one stage!

 

Thanks for the update and pictures Jonnie - Very glad that the weekend went well and I assume the Brentor family were pleased!

 

Slight change to our originally planned operation. 'Brentor' is running again this weekend on 3rd & 4th July. We've not got the numbers to revert the loco back to SKP in time.

 

If it has been more popular as Brentor they should try changing it into some other different engines as well as it will keep the numbers up. I would like to see one done with 34043 on it and called Honiton. I think you get more numbers as a place because lots of people come from that place to see it but when it runs as a name not many people know who the person is.

 

Whilst it is nice to see engines renamed occasionally and it does bring out additional people to visit our railway, the locos rightful name is ‘Sir Keith Park’ and it will return to that identity by mid-July.

It is just as popular a loco when carrying its proper identity and at the same time we are educating our visitors when we talk to them about Sir Keith Park.

 

VISITING TERRIER 2678 'KNOWLE'!

We're delighted to announce that LBSCR Terrier 2678 'Knowle' will be visiting the Spa Valley Railway to star in our Summer Steam Up event over the weekend of Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th July!

The 1880 built locomotive is owned by The Terrier Trust and based at the Kent & East Sussex Railway and will be arriving for a short stay from early next week until late July.

'Knowle' will operate on 17th & 18th July during our Summer Steam Up alongside Bulleid Pacific 34053 'Sir Keith Park' and Hunslet 2890 'Douglas'. The Terrier will then operate an additional two coach service train alongside 'Douglas' and one of our heritage diesels on Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th July, further details to follow!

We'd like to extend our thanks to The Terrier Trust and the Kent & East Sussex Railway for making this visit possible.

Tickets for our Summer Steam Up can be bought online now for all day travel, all of our stations will be open and an intensive two train service will be in action. Link: bit.ly/3qvHzVP

We've even a Saturday evening Fish & Chip Supper and Real Ale Train for you to enjoy, travelling behind steam throughout!

 

34043 was Combe Martin and was un rebuilt.
I think you mean 34034 which was named Honiton.

 

Yes Honiton will be good to do. Will the terrier be getting changed into any other engines when it there? And is there any more plans to change Keith park again at another time

 

City of Truro makes a good point about locomotive names and I too like to see alternative names temporarily used - after all it should generate extra interest and income. I think most locomotive operators/owners are aware of that aspect and try to involve their namesake area/ link. I believe SLL have good support in Sidmouth for that locomotive and Boscastle (34039) is well known in North Devon, of course there are many other examples.

 

There are no plans to change the identity of 'Knowle' during its visit, the engine was shedded at 75F (back in the 1800s) I'm told.

We have no plans to change 'Sir Keith Park' temporarily to another BoB or WC. The only reason it was changed to 'Brentor' was that a person by name of Phill Brentor approached the railway about an identity change for a wedding, his family owned two replica plates, the smokebox door number plate and a shed code plate.

If any other persons own replica plates would like to approach us regarding the renaming of a long lost/scrapped locomotive for a special occasion then we'll happily consider and discuss it with the locomotives owners, we don't just do these things. Any remaining though must be appropriate i.e. it would need to be a member of the same class of engine.